Best clubs of all time?

[StrawberryShortCake]

Was thinking about this in the shower (shower thoughts) 

What do you guys think were the best clubs of all time driver, woods, irons, wedges, putters whatever.

What were the best clubs you never wished you sold? Curious of your thoughts and opinions and I couldn't find anything related when I searched all the threads.

For me I would have to say one of the best selling golf clubs of all time. The 845s were in production for 13 years and still have one heck of a following. The 845s had great success on the PGA tour. Since so many Tommy Armour 845s Silver Scott irons were sold, you can find them used really cheap. The real prize is the slightly bigger 845s Titanium face version with steel shafts, as most were sold with graphite. These were the first hand me down clubs from my father and the clubs I learned how to play on hitting balls around the yard. I grew up on a farm with lots of land to wack balls into the trees.

[PMookie]

For me: the original metal Golfsmith heads for driver/3w/5w. Long and straight for me from 1986-1994!

Irons: Ping Zing 2. Again, long and straight

[Tom the Golf Nut]

The set I had in play were the original Wilson Fat shafts for my irons. They were heavy and I hit the ball a mile with them and straight. The hype was all about eliminating  club twist with the fat shafts. I had the TaylorMade Burner Bubble Shafts for my woods.  I dont know how I hit anything with those small heads. Ahh the memories.  But I also agree with the status of the 845' s as being the most wanted back in the day.

[aerospace_ray]

For me it was a Ping Eye 2 coppers for the irons. Wilson Staff blades (late 70's) were close second. Regarding woods, Persimmon Wilson Staff's or  Hogans both 70's models followed by original 90's model Callaway Big Bertha War Bird steels. Wedges would be Wilson Staff Jerry Pates and/or my current Wishon PCF's. All time putters I guess would be 8802 Wilson Staff and Ping B60 or B61 coppers.  

 

[deejaid]

Shouldn’t it be what we are playing now? If not, why aren’t we playing them?

But for me it was a set of Dynacraft Pro Cavity irons circa 2003. I built them when I had just started club building and they were the easiest to play irons ever. Very little offset but the perfect sole width and grind.

Unfortunately vanity got me as I was playing “no name” clubs and my buddy bought a sweet new set of Mizuno MX-23’s, so I followed with my own set. Never played near as well with the Mizuno’s as the Dynacraft’s.


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[MadMex]

3 hours ago, aerospace_ray said:

For me it was a Ping Eye 2 coppers for the irons. Wilson Staff blades (late 70's) were close second. Regarding woods, Persimmon Wilson Staff's or  Hogans both 70's models followed by original 90's model Callaway Big Bertha War Bird steels. Wedges would be Wilson Staff Jerry Pates and/or my current Wishon PCF's. All time putters I guess would be 8802 Wilson Staff and Ping B60 or B61 coppers.  

 

Agree 100% with PING Coppers, for scratch players Hogan Apex.

Woods Citation Persimmon

Putter PING Anser2   

[deejaid]

When I think best clubs of all-time, I think of clubs that were the best performers of their era and are still sought after today.

Macgregor M693, M43, M85 Woods

In their day, the most sought after woods by the games best players. 1950’s era Macgregor persimmon woods were still in the bags of pro’s like Norman and Nicklaus well into the 1980’s.


Ping Eye 2 Irons

The irons that really changed everything. There were cavity backs before the Eye 2, like Ping’s own Karsten irons but the Ping Eye 2 was a complete game changing iron that ushered in the end of the forged blade irons that were little changed from the 50’s thru 80’s.


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[jaskanski]

Another vote for the Ping Eye 2 here. The overall design, concept, playability and performance was (and still is) pretty much faultless. The sand wedge alone deserves a mention as  one the best all round bunker clubs - it just works. Granted, the look, the offset and the sole bounce (in some cases negative bounce on the longer irons) isn't to everyone's taste, but it's hard to dispute that any other iron had such an impact on the world golf scene from their debut to the present day. Tommy Armour 845's would be a close second maybe, with blade fans going for Mizuno MP33's and yours truly would wouldn't part with his Titleist 690MB's for anything. 

[fixyurdivot]

On 7/10/2020 at 8:13 PM, aerospace_ray said:

For me it was a Ping Eye 2 coppers for the irons.

+1 on the PE2's. Karsten Solheim designed the mousetrap that everyone sought to emulate. 

[NRJyzr]

I'm going to throw a vote in for Golden Ram Tour Grinds.

Yes, I admit to a bias.  

For putters, can there really be anything other than either the 8802 or the Anser?

Edited July 21, 2020 by NRJyzr

[Middler]

They haven’t been made yet, or what will manufacturers sell us all next year?

[HAC]

The original Big Bertha Driver was a game changer.

[Kansas King]

I think the Callaway Big Bertha irons from the late 90's were some of best irons made (in the GI category). They looked a little different as they were trying to maximize the physical properties to make irons forgiving and are still one of the most forgiving/playable sets of irons ever made. I still see them played from time to time. The only thing that would change if they reproduced them today is probably the sole design a little (which they did changed in the early 2000's). I also feel like the Perfect Club deserves a shout out for the TV sales category. That club was well made, easy to hit, and forgiving. I suppose proliferation of hybrids caused the club's demise. 

[Dr Strangelove]

Another vote for Ping Eye 2.  The + was my favorite iteration.

[revkev]

Well the Ping Eye 2 is pretty much a no brainer.

 

Woods?

 

Taylor Made Original One was kind of a game changer like those, I’d say.

 

 

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[Federalist88]

I have a few:

Taylormade RAC TP CB/MB combos

Titliest 975F 

Adams CMB's

[Firebird]

I have three- all of which I still own.

Topflite Tour Irons - these were a special edition as they are forged. They were a limited run specially to supply Payne Stewart.  Not sure how many sets were made. My set was a prize at a  tournament we won back in the 90's.

Wilson Staff Tour 100 Blades.

Original Big Bertha Warbird Driver.

[Buffly]

The best of my time playing golf is the Taylormade Supersteel irons with the red S-90 Bubble Graphite shaft - specifically the 9 iron. 

This gets the nod because it is the club I hit a hole-in-one with. So, it's the best club of all time for me. 

Second, is my Taylormade SLDR S 19* 5 wood with the 65g Fuji Kira Speeder stiff shaft. This club landed me 4 feet from the pin leading to my second eagle, and first on a par 5. 

I switched out my irons but the 5w is still in the bag. 

The irons are on loan to a buddy. 

 

[Jack wilson]

In my point of view the best golf clubs for seniors to beginners players are provided by taylorMade because they have a largest variety or different clubs including irons, gloves, putters, etc.

Edited July 7, 2023 by Jack wilson

[HAC]

On 7/25/2020 at 10:06 PM, HAC said:

The original Big Bertha Driver was a game changer.

Adding to my answer, to me the most innovative clubs of all time were:

Ping Anser Putter - heel and toe weighted putter

Ping Eye 2 Irons - perimeter weighting

TaylorMade's original rescue clubs - hybrids were brand new

Big Bertha Driver - first oversized driver

XXIO clubs - really light clubs for women and seniors

This is a bit different answer that what were the best clubs of all time.  But these clubs to me moved the ball forward and moved us in a large way to where clubs are today.  I am sure I am missing some very innovative clubs and am interested in the thoughts of others.  Unfortunately, I have never owned any of these.

Edited July 13, 2023 by HAC

[GolfSpy_APH]

Loaded question, but want to put a slight twist. What of the newer clubs that have been coming out could become in the best club ever category?

[SWINGWEIGHT]

There are no best clubs per se. Best clubs are those assembled and harmonized for each golfer by a provessional,knowledgeable and experienced clubfitter/clubmaker.
However, I can say that the best driver head I ever played is the Wishon Golf 919 THI, which was created  more than 1O years ago and which not any other surpasses.

[YamYam]

For me my first set of blades - Wilson FG49 - 1 iron through to a Sand Wedge.

Driver - Titleist 975D 8.5° Grafalloy Stiff.  Get this - this driver was available for purchase from 1998 to 2001!  You look at a every driver produced since by Titleist or any other company and you will not see anywhere near that longevity.

Woods - Titleist in the same range/generation.

Wedges - Cleveland RTG rustys - 56° (bent to 55°) and 60°.  I later replaced my Wilson PW and SW with Clevelands because I wore them out.

Putter - Ping Anser.

[fozcycle]

Growing up in Kentucky, my first set were Powerbilts. They were very popular in the 50’s & 60’s. Then there were the Nicklaus Muirfields by MacGregor. They had a feel like no other. As for woods, again Powerbilt Citation persimmons.

 

[Stevem]

I don't know if they are "the best', but to me, the most memorable clubs that come to mind (including those that I have played) are:

PING EYE 2 Irons  (easy to see I am not the only one who believes so)

Tony Penna Persimmon Driver;  Taylor Made "Pittsburgh Persimmon" Driver

Callaway Steelhead Fairway woods

Cleveland Wedges;  A Lynx Sand wedge

PING ANSER Putter

Carried in an all leather Burton bag

Edited July 14, 2023 by Stevem

[MN Loon]

I have to agree with those saying Ping Eye2 for irons.

Ping Anser putter with the heel/toe weighting.

Callaway led the innovation in Drivers and Super Game Improvement irons.

Taylor Made was the first to make hybrids - rescue clubs - popular.

 

[Stevem]

I will add one that I should've thought of:  Tight Lies Fairway woods.   For a period of time, those clubs were simply can't miss in every sense of the word.

[Golf2Much]

One more vote for the original (square grooves and all) Ping Eye 2's.  They were my first serious new club purchase after I started my post college career.  

My wife says I'm a bit of a hoarder, especially as it relates to golf clubs.  So I can't really say which one I regret selling as I still have most of my special clubs I've owned.   I still have my original Ping Eye2's, one iron through lob wedge (including the beryllium copper sand wedge), my original Callaway Big Bertha driver (which looks almost like a fairway wood in size) and too many putters to list.  I've given away several sets of irons, drivers and putters in the past (because I ran out of storage space), but I tend to hold on to those that were special.  

From a putter perspective, history is littered with inventors who believed they had a better mouse trap.  Obviously, the Ping Anser is likely the answer.  How about Callaway's two ball putter?  It bought looking and being a little different to the masses.  Yeah, based on my hoarding comment above, I think I have two or three of them in my shed (different lengths, center shafted, etc.).  

As far as @GolfSpy_APH's tweak to this thread, what new clubs could become the best ever down the road?  For me, the "best" definition has to include clubs that created somewhat of a disruption in the way industry thought about club design and materials.  A current club that might fit that mold would be Taylor Made's Stealth driver.  Though we had Golfsmith and Golfworks in the past, one could argue that the growth in direct to consumer clubs (too many great ones to mention...Sub70 and others) could be considered somewhat of a disruption in the classic golf club business model and worthy of consideration as well.

How about from a best ball perspective?  One can't argue too much with the Pro V1.  

[Dave Gignac]

My favorite clubs of all time were;

Irons:  hands down, Hogan Apex 50s

Woods: Bang Golf Mellow Yellow, driver,  3 wood and 5 wood all with yellow Harrison 2.2 shafts. Used to always joke the first time anyone saw them that they had been a school bus in another life but they'd all stop laughing when you blew 25 yards past them. 

Putter: original Ram Zebra made so famous by Raymond Floyd and Nick Price.

 

Edited July 14, 2023 by Dave Gignac

[SV677]

 For me the best club of all time is the Acushnet Bullseye putter. Although I have newer ones, I still go back to it on a regular basis. The one I got rid of that I wish I still had is an Odyssey White Hot center shafted #2.  It is similar to the Bullseye, so maybe I should pay more attention instead of changing.